Undoubtedly, cavities are one of the most common dental health problems that many people experience in their lifetime. While this dental health issue is more common in children and teenagers, even adults can develop a tooth cavity or cavities because of their lifestyles, particularly the food we choose to eat every day.
We all need food for energy and the nutrition we need for survival, but some foods can increase your chances of developing dental issues like cavities because of some compounds present in them. Although a cavity in your tooth could be due to various reasons, the food you eat daily is the primary contributing factor most of the time.
Knowing which foods to limit is the key if you want to keep your teeth healthy and strong for the longest time possible. If you want to learn more about cavity-causing foods, this article is yours.
What is a Dental Cavity?
Before we enter into details on everything you need to know about cavity-causing foods, you need to understand what it means to have a dental cavity. Typically, a dental cavity is a hole that develops on your tooth over time when acidic excretes from bacteria that thrive in your mouth erode your teeth' enamel surface.
Although teeth are the most mineralized part of the body, they can wear out over time due to erosion by acidic content from bacteria excretes and the food you eat daily. That is why it is advisable to brush and floss your teeth daily to remove food stuck between them and prevent plaque build-up, which is the main cause of tooth decay and cavities.
Typically, when you develop a dental cavity, you will experience and notice the following symptoms and signs, depending on how large it is:
- Toothache or pain that happens without warning
- Sharp pain on the affected tooth when you drink or eat sour, cold, or warm foods and drinks
- Brownish or black stains on the affected tooth or teeth
- Sensitivity on the affected tooth or teeth
Since most cavities form below the gum line, you could fail to detect this life-threatening dental issue until you visit a dentist for a thorough oral examination, especially if there is no visible brownish or black stain on your teeth. To minimize any chances of developing tooth decay or cavity, you should retain the services of a dentist for regular dental exams and deep teeth cleaning.
Common Cavity Causing Foods that You Ought to Know
Generally, dental cavities could be due to several factors, but today we will focus on particular foods that we all love. As they say, you become what you eat, meaning the food you consume will manifest in your body in one way or the other. This concept is undoubtedly true, especially when it comes to your dental health.
Frequently eating particular foods can be problematic to your dental and oral health, even though they have vital nutrients which are helpful to your body. If possible, it is advisable to avoid or reduce intake of the following foods because they contain compounds that promote tooth decay and cavities:
Acidic Foods
While fruits like oranges, grapes, citrus, and lemons are tasty and rich in Vitamin C and other nutrients, they contain acidic content, which can erode your teeth' enamel surface, leading to cavities. Enamel is the tough outer layer of your tooth that helps you chew food. Although enamel is the hardest part of your body, it has its limits.
Frequent exposure of the enamel to accident contents from these fruits can dissolve and weaken it, leading to decay and cavities. If you cannot eliminate acidic foods from your diet, you can reduce how often you consume them to protect your teeth' enamel and general oral health.
Apart from eroding your teeth' enamel surface, acidic contents from these foods can also be bothersome to a mouth sore. Whenever you choose to eat any of these acidic foods, it is advisable to do so moderately and rinse your mouth with water thoroughly afterward to neutralize your mouth.
Sugary Foods
Whether it is brown sugar, honey, or refined white sugar, it is still sugar and could contribute to dental cavities. Unlike acidic foods, the amount of sugary food you consume does not matter, but rather how often you do it. Typically, sugary foods turn your mouth into an acidic environment, which is a favorable and conducive "playing ground" for bacteria that exist in your mouth.
Because this acidic environment can persist for a couple of hours, dentists recommend that you brush and floss your teeth immediately after eating or drinking sugary foods. When you sip sugary foods for an extended period, you will be continuously bathing and coating your teeth in this corrosive acid, which can erode your teeth' enamel, leading to cavities.
Bacteria that exist rent-free in your mouth can also break down these sugars, producing acidic excretes, which accelerate the erosion process of your teeth' enamel. Below are examples of sugary foods and drinks you should limit or avoid because they are "promoters" of tooth decay and cavities:
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Soda
According to a recent research study, drinking large quantities of soda for an extended period could be as damaging to your teeth as using cocaine or methamphetamine. Typically, carbonated drinks like sodas enable bacteria in your mouth to produce more acidic excretes to attack your teeth' enamel because of too much sugar present in them.
Sipping soda frequently also dries your mouth, meaning you have less saliva to neutralize acidity in your mouth. Not forgetting, dark-colored sodas can also stain or discolor your teeth, affecting the aesthetic appearance of your smile. For all these reasons, it is advisable to reduce how often you drink soda, even if it has a refreshing taste we all love.
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Juices
Although most juice products you will see on store shelves nowadays are labeled "no added sugar" in bold letters, they still have natural sugars, which promote plaque build-up in your teeth. That is why it is advisable to encourage your kids to drink water or milk over these sugary juices, which contribute to dental decay and cavities.
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Spaghetti Sauce
Processed foods like ketchup and spaghetti sauce are rich in sugars as well. If you are eating or drinking foods with sugars, it is advisable to do so with your meals instead of consuming them as snacks.
Doing this could be helpful to minimize any chances of developing a cavity because you can produce large amounts of saliva during meals, which can neutralize acidity resulting from these sugary foods. Other sugary foods you should limit include (but are not limited to):
- Alcohol
- Jams
- Cereals
- Fruits
- Cookies
- Cakes
Starchy Foods
Starchy foods like chips, white bread, and pasta can also lead to dental cavities in children and adults. Typically, these starchy foods are refined carbohydrates, meaning they break down into simple sugars when they come into contact with your saliva.
Also, starchy foods can cling or stick in your mouth more than sugary foods like candy, creating a conducive environment for bad bacteria to produce more acid, leading to erosion of your teeth' enamel.
Although consuming starchy foods like bread as part of your daily carbohydrate intake is healthy and recommended by most nutritionists, it is wise to opt for less-refined options like whole wheat. Unlike white flour starches, whole wheat foods are less likely to cause decay and cavities because they contain complex carbohydrates, which are not easy to break down into simple sugars.
Whenever you crave to eat any starchy food, it is advisable to do so as part of your meals because other foods you will be eating can prevent starchy ones from clinging to your teeth. Although brushing and flossing your teeth after every meal can help eliminate sticky foods from your teeth, it is not always effective.
To eliminate those extra bits of foods that could be lingering in your mouth after brushing your teeth, you can swish cool water in your mouth within at least thirty minutes after eating starchy foods.
Drying Foods
Generally, salty foods and any other food that can potentially dry your mouth are dangerous for your oral and dental health. Saliva plays a critical role in your mouth as it is your first defense mechanism against potential oral and dental health issues.
Apart from helping you swallow your food, saliva also enables you to clean your mouth after a meal by washing away lingering food particles and neutralizing acidic excretes produced by bacteria.
Heavily salted foods and drinks like coffee, energy drinks, and alcohol can make your mouth dry, taking away this vital defense mechanism. Lack of sufficient saliva in your mouth gives bacteria that exist in your mouth an ideal environment to thrive and produce more acidic substances that erode your teeth' enamel, leading to cavities.
If you detect that your mouth is dry after eating or drinking any of these drying foods, you can counteract this effect by drinking plenty of water or chewing sugar-free gum containing xylitol. However, if you have a chronic dry mouth, also commonly known as xerostomia, you should talk to a dentist because this condition can be problematic when left untreated.
A dry mouth could also be an indicator or symptom of an underlying health issue that affects your salivary glands. Hence, it is wise to talk to a dentist as soon as possible to determine the cause of this uncomfortable oral health issue. Apart from increasing your chances of developing tooth decay or cavity, a dry mouth can also cause:
- Poor nutrition because of chewing and swallowing problems
- Mouth sores
- Cracked lips or sores at the corners of your mouth
- Periodontal or gum diseases
- Thrush (yeast infection in any part of your mouth)
Although a dry mouth condition is more common with older people, it can happen to anyone, especially those that eat or drink drying foods and drinks like alcohol and heavily salted foods. To keep your mouth hydrated, you should drink plenty of water and reduce drying foods from your daily diet.
Chewy Foods
While chewy foods like candy and dried fruits could seem harmless, eating too many of them for an extended period can support bacterial activities in your mouth because they have too much sugar content.
As mentioned above, sugary foods create an excellent thriving environment for bad bacteria that exist in your mouth, and chewy foods have too much sugar content, making them some of the worst foods for your dental health.
Another reason why chewy foods like taffy, caramels, or dried fruits are terrible for your dental health is they require chewing for an extended period. Because of that, the sugar present in them will remain in contact with your teeth for a longer period, creating a feast for these nasty bacteria.
People who eat chewy foods, especially children, are likely to develop cavities in their teeth due to the acidic excretes that bacteria release in their mouths after feasting on these sugars. Also, children are less likely to brush their teeth effectively as adults can, meaning some of these sugars will linger or stick in their mouth for a more extended period, leading to cavities.
If you are regularly treating your children with sweet and chewy foods like candies, you are setting them up in the wrong direction to achieving top-notch dental health for the catchy smile that they deserve.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Typically, apple cider vinegar is fermented apple juice well known for its detoxifying effects, but few people know it can also cause tooth erosion because of its acidic nature. Whenever you decide to drink apple cider vinegar, it is advisable to mix it with water and drink it all at once or use a straw to swallow it directly.
Sweet Treats
Another common cause of tooth decay and cavities is the sweet treats you decide to give yourself or your child. Sweets treats like sweetened cereals, pie, ice cream, toaster pastries, and cakes could be less damaging to your teeth than sweet candies, but they can also contribute to cavities down the line.
To protect your teeth when eating these foods, your dentist can fix dental sealants on them. A dental sealant is typically a tooth-colored plastic that your dentist applies to your teeth surfaces, especially the premolars and molars, to prevent decay by creating a smoother surface that is easy to clean.
How long dental sealants will serve you after placement will depend on your general oral and dental hygiene habits, but they could last for up to eight years. Because they can fall off sometimes, it is advisable to schedule frequent visits with your dentist to ensure they are intact in your teeth.
The Bottom Line
Undoubtedly, acidic and sugary foods are your teeth's worst threat, but you have options. Your mouth will be happier if you include food with vitamins and minerals in your diet. Even though the foods mentioned above are your teeth' worst enemy, most of them are healthy for the body.
The key to keeping your teeth stronger for the longest time possible is maintaining good nutrition or a balanced diet with your whole body in mind. Below are some of the foods that can help you keep your teeth strong and healthy for the longest time possible:
- Vegetables like carrots and celery
- Fat-free or low-fat milk or cheese
- Fibrous fruits like apples and berries
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Fish
- Lean proteins
Apart from maintaining a healthy diet, you can keep your teeth and mouth healthy through other ways, including:
- Flossing your teeth daily using a thin string to remove food particles in between your teeth
- Brushing your teeth daily using fluoridated toothpaste or mouthwash
- Scheduling regular appointments with your dentist to keep track of your dental and oral health
Having a credible dentist whom you can rely on is very important because he/she can detect oral health issues that you cannot notice with your naked eyes. Because a cavity is not an overnight dental health problem, your dentist can catch this issue before it becomes problematic during your regular dental exam and cleanings.
Find a Tarzana Dentist Near Me
If you are worried that the food you are eating or perhaps feeding your child could potentially lead to cavities or other health issues, you should talk to a dentist. The truth is most foods that we consume can contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Your dentist will advise you on foods that you can limit or eliminate on your diet to keep your teeth free from decay and cavities.
We invite you to call experienced dentists at Tarzana Dental Care at 818-708-3232 if you have more questions about cavity-causing foods. We understand how important it is to keep your teeth healthy for the longest time possible. Apart from offering you relevant advice you need to keep your teeth healthy, we can also help you treat a tooth decay problem before it develops into a cavity.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any dental or oral health concerns. Our goal is to see you with a healthy mouth and the eye-catching smile you deserve.